Pool Side Fun

The weather is HOT HOT HOT HOT! Here in Colorado, we have been suffering through high 90s and low 100 degree DRY heat! It feels as though your lungs are unable to perform their function. I feel like a fish out of water. So...find a pool and grab the kids. Many of us love hanging out at the pool. I don't think there is anything more refreshing than a crystal clear body of water, iced tea, and the choice to swim or spritz.

Make the pool side experience fun for yourself and for the gang. Pack the usual essentials, i.e., sunscreen, aloe, towels, and snacks.

For the pool side snacks:
A pitcher of iced tea with tea ice cubes! (When I vacationed in Egypt, I was fortunate enough to lunch at the Four Seasons on the Nile. I had ordered iced tea and it was served to me with tea ice cubes. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I now, keep an ice tray filled with tea for all of my iced teas.)

Lemon wedges
Sugar or substitute sweetener
Pretzels or chips you enjoy
Sandwiches light on the condiments but filled with vegetables and meat
Fruit...bring a fruit salad with melons and berries or ripe plums or nectarines
Ice...bring a cooler filled with ice
Cups, paper plates, and napkins

You are set.

Cuban Panini Sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) Cuban bread loaf, cut in half crosswise
Yellow mustard
1/3 pound thinly sliced Baked Pork Loin Roast (about 8 to 10 slices)
1/3 pound thinly sliced baked ham
1/3 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
1/4 to 1/3 cup dill pickle chips
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Sliced red peppers
Leafy organic lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion

Preparation

1. Cut bread halves lengthwise, cutting to but not through opposite side. Spread mustard on cut sides of bread. Layer with Baked Pork Loin Roast and next 3 ingredients. Close sandwiches, and spread outsides with butter.

2. Place 1 sandwich in a hot, large skillet over medium heat. Place a heavy skillet on top of sandwich. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted and sandwich is flat. Repeat with remaining sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half, and serve immediately.

Cool off, enjoy the vitamin D, and relish in the laughter of your children! Happy Summer!

4th of July Party

Summer has officially begun. July is right around the corner bringing in the date for our nation's Independence Day. The 4th of July is celebrated annually commemorating our independence from Great Britain.

John Adams wrote to his wife, "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

So....we, the patriotic citizens of this country-the country that was founded on the original principles-not the country based on corruption and greed, we the people certainly do participate in commemorating the 4th of July as a day of deliverance and solemnize this day with pomp and parade, shows, games, sports, maybe not necessarily guns, but bells, bonfires, and fireworks displays nationwide.

Let's plan our own gathering.

Neighborhood Block Parties:
These are traditionally a fun gathering of those who you reside near. You will have to contact your local police department and petition to block off your road. This takes a week. If you are having a live band or DJ, you may have to file for a noise ordinance waiver. The county or police department will assist you in correctly filing in the area of which you reside.

Tents: Rent tents to offer shade, shelter if the weather begins to add precipitation, and to keep the buffet from spoiling.

Tables and Chairs: Decipher how many (approximately) will be in attendance and add an additional table with 8 chairs to cover for spill overs.

Decorations: Red, white, and blue. Purchase pleated fan flags for draping around your home, on the side of your buffet tables, outside of your tents...etc Purchase waiving flags on sticks for the children and adults to wave as the block parade passes by....there are a plethora of patriotic conceptions for purchase. A couple of great links are:
http://www.united-states-flag.com/
http://www.patriotic-flags.com/
http://www.flagco.com/

For all of your party rental needs, contact your local party rental supply stores. Each town has at least one rental supply house renting anything from tents, tables, chairs, table cloths, buffet tables, to a variety of other party accessories.

Organize fun activities for all to join in and play. Volleyball, hula hoop contests, pie eating contests, sack races, three-legged races, water melon eating contest, best BBQ sauce entries, best potato salad entries, best jam entry, etc...get creative and have a ton of "interacting" events for you to better know your neighbors. The importance is in your organization of these events and the compensation for participating.

During your party planning stage, contact local businesses soliciting free prizes in exchange for advertising their business to your neighbors. Some vendors will offer gift certificates, percentages off purchase, car washes, spa products, a two for one deal, items under $50.00, etc...these items become your prizes for your "interacting events". In exchange for such altruism, you will offer extensive selling of their businesses to your local neighbors.

Orchestrating the food. You and your planning committee will have met a few weeks prior to the party. Some of your food may be donated through a local vendor in exchange for partial payment and advertising, i.e. a barbecue vendor may donate fifty pounds of BBQ beef, chicken, and or pork. Other options are to buy in bulk at the local Costco or Sam's club. Slow cook your brisket, purchase pallets of water, soda, and other beverages, and bulk purchase other ingredients for remaining traditional 4th of July celebration consumables.

Decide on whom is making what:
BBQ
Potato Salad
Leafy Green Salad
Cut Watermelon
Fruit Salad
Baked Beans
Rolls
Corn on the Cob
Pies
Cobbler
Whatever you wish to have on your menu.

You will need coolers for ice, water, sodas, beer, etc...

In your invitations, make certain you include the grand prize for the parade entrants. Each household must enter a parade float of which the younger inhabitants of the household are responsible for displaying in the parade. Set your criteria on patriotism, originality, and workmanship. We citizens of the United States took great pride in craftsmanship and innovation...let us see if we cannot resurrect these fundamental beliefs and behaviors.

Make certain you have ample sunscreen, great music, a great attitude, and plenty of assistance. This is a party of which a group effort makes for the party's success. If you have party participants who are there to be served, ask them to help out in a specific area...i.e., clear some plates, cut the pies or cakes, whatever, most people will be willing to help out.

Celebrate the 4th of July with a bit of history. Prior to the parade, having assigned an orator, have this person grab a microphone and welcome all who came to the party. Have this person speak briefly but concisely about our country's history and why we commemorate this special day. Explain the reason for the parade and mark the beginning of the parade with the beginning of patriotic music. Each participant will have a brief write-up of their entry of which the parade orator will share with the parade viewers. There will be a panel of judges critiquing the float criteria and a grand prize, first, second, and third prize will be offered to the parade participants.

Block parties that are well organized usually last for the full day capped with the grand finale of fireworks. Most suburban environments forbid firework displays. Know your neighborhoods (county and state) laws. If you are allowed sparklers, cones, and such, then a ground display is a wonderful OOoh and Aaah moment. If you are forbidden to ignite one Chinese factory made light extravaganza, then plan for everyone to conjure at the local county fireworks display.

While planning this event, the neighbors will have to assess what monetary donations is acceptable for each household. Parties like this usually carry a $100.00 donation per household and average with twenty households' involvement. A dj, tents, tables, chairs, decorations, edibles, ice and beverages add up quickly. The prizes will be donated, but the wrapping and bows will not. Think of everything and edit where needed. Be safe and Happy 4th of July!

Barbeque Time!

It is summer where the weather is inviting all of us to leave the indoors and gather outside. It is time to enjoy warm breezes wafting the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. Summer is time to enjoy outdoor living. What other human behavior exemplifies outdoor living than barbecuing? I think this tops the list. We adore our grills, outdoor patio tables and chairs, and the ravenous appetites of our guests! Creativity abounds when it comes to barbecuing. Book after book, magazine article followed by many more publications all detail innovative methods of transforming the outdoor grill into a chef's mandatory tool for fabulous edible delights. Let us set the table and tempo for a fabulous night outside barbecuing with our friends and family.

First, make certain the yard is in great shape. Weed the weeds, mow the grass, and freshen the mulch. Secondly, power wash the side of the house, hose down the patios, and scrub the outdoor furniture. Before you grill, make certain the grill is clean clearing any residue from the last barbecuing event!

Now that the outside of your home is "clean" and inviting...you are ready to prep your dinner fare.

We have decided to barbecue beef tenderloins and for dessert, pineapple slices to be served on organic vanilla bean ice cream.

Gourmet Beef Tenderloins
Ingredients:
4 beef tenderloin steaks:1-1/2 to 2" thick
6 ounces each -- about, up to 8

Herb garlic cheese topping

7 ounces herb and garlic cream cheese
2 tablespoon half and half
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces sliced mushrooms,drained

Instructions:
Heat grill. When ready to grill, place steaks on gas grill over medium heat or charcoal grill 4-6" from medium coals. Cook 14-25 minutes depending on desired meat temperature, turning once. In small saucepan, combine cheese spread, half and half and pepper; blend well. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts and mix is smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms until heated, stirring constantly. Serve over steaks.


Salad Ingredients

Baby spinach
Mandarin orange sections, drained
Toasted slivered almonds

Dressing Ingredients

1 cup canola oil
2-4 Tablespoons rice vinegar or any neutral flavored white vineyard
2-4 Tablespoons ginger or orange marmalade

Directions

Carefully wash hands, then wash and dry the spinach in a salad spinner. For each person to be served, put a handful or two of greens into the salad bowl.

Toss in a generous amount of drained mandarin orange segments and top with toasted almond slivers.

To mix the dressing, put two tablespoons of vinegar in a small bowl.

Measure out a cup of canola oil and slowly, while stirring the vinegar with whisk, add in the oil with the vinegar slowly, emulsifying it as it blends.

Add in two tablespoons full of marmalade, whisk to blend.

Taste and adjust flavors with vinegar and marmalade to personal preference.

Dress the salad lightly. This quantity of dressing should be sufficient for several dinner salads.

Dessert:
Grilled Pineapple slices served with organic vanilla bean ice cream.

Take fresh pineapple and prepare for pineapple rings by removing the outer pineapple skin. We utilized a pineapple ring "cutter". But if you don't own this tool, below are step by step instructions for achieving pineapple rings ready to grill.


Coring a pineapple:
Place the pineapple on its side on the cutting board and remove the stalk.

Cut off the top of the pineapple.

Cut off the bottom of the pineapple.

Stand the pineapple on its side and cut the skin off of the sides in strips.

Continue cutting strips around the pineapple until you have cut all of the skin off of it.

You should now be left with a cylinder of pineapple flesh. Mmmmmm, yummy. Depending on how close you sliced when removing the skin you will most likely have some divots left, you can remove these with a mellon baller or potato peeler easily.

Place the pineapple on its side and begin cutting slices. The thickness is up to you.

Work your way down the pineapple until the entire thing has been sliced up.

Taking a slice firmly in your hand, begin cutting around the core. Some pineapples have soft cores that can be eaten, but most of the time it will be pretty hard.

Depending on the knife you use it will be easier to cut by either 'sawing' or by 'stabbing' your way around the core.

Once you've cut all the way around the core, use your fingers to dislodge it and voila! You're all done, time to enjoy!

Now, place the rings onto the grill to heat them thoroughly browning them slightly.

Plate them with the pineapple on the bottom and one generous scoop of organic vanilla bean ice cream on top. Yummy!

Serve your dinner with a red Zinfandel or a fantastic Cabernet.

Allow the evening to sparkle with conversation over summer plans, trips, camps, and other objectives! What a wonderful way to begin your summer!

We're Jammin'

My sister, Corinne, who is another Hostess with the Mostess, just threw her Jamaican party aforementioned. The party was a screaming success. It was not only a fabulous tribute to her son and his classmates for having executed a successful year in academics and graduating from their elementary school, but also a phenomenal party for both young and adults!

The huge success began with her innovative plane ticket invitations. She dressed herself in a flowing blue tye-dyed dress accented with a gardenia in her hair. As the guests arrived, she greeted each with exuberant salutations, "Welcome to Jamaica....how was your flight?"...

The area was set with canopies, many tables to sit at and enjoy Jamaican food and drink. Birds of paradise arrangements accented the buffet tables while the five piece steel drum band played sounds of Calypso, Bob Marley, and upbeat tunes. All guests danced, ate, and drank like little vacationing gluttons.

The dance floor was decorated with white lights wrapped around artificial palm trees, sand, and happy children dancing to the rhythms of the steel drums. Laughter was abound while each tried their new moves out often resorting to the old familiar safe back and forth swaying. Adults jumped into the mix smiling and dancing with their children celebrating a year of hard work, decent to exemplary grades, and closing the chapter of yet another year of innocence and awareness.

The food was phenomenal, with a vast variety for all taste buds to enjoy. Way to go to my sister, Corinne, her husband, Dan, and to my little nephew, Reid for hard work, the willingness and passion for sharing moments with each other and with friends! A forever memory was made through great effort, planning, and execution! Hurray!